AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE ATLANTA-EAST, ATLANTA-WEST, AND SAVANNAH, GA, AREA OFFICES
OF THE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
EASE (ERGONOMICS ASSIST SYSTEMS & EQUIPMENT COUNCIL) of MHI

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Atlanta-East, Atlanta-West, and Savannah Area Offices and Ergonomics Assist Systems & Equipment Council (EASE) of MHI recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and EASE of MHI hereby form an Alliance to provide EASE of MHI members and others, including owners and operators of public warehouses and other third-party warehouses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers, including hard-to-reach and youth workers, by reducing and preventing exposure to warehouse/distribution facility hazards addressing ergonomic, and ergonomics issues related to material handling, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance's activities. Alliance participants also agree to meet the "Fundamental Requirements for OSHA Alliance Program Participants" and the "Guidelines for OSHA's Alliance Program Participants: Alliance Products and Other Alliance Projects."

Through the Alliance, the organizations will use available injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options, including but not limited to member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and EASE of MHI recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners are an integral part of OSHA's effort, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

Raising Awareness: Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and communicate such information (e.g., print, and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA and the EASE websites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and EASE conferences, local meetings, or other events, including MODEX and PROMAT.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding EASE good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by encouraging EASE's members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Develop effective training and education programs for warehouse/distribution facility employees regarding ergonomics, and ergonomics issues related to material handling, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of courses related to hazards associated with ergonomics, and ergonomics issues related to material handling.

OSHA's Alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communications, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with an organization, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization's products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet quarterly per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Atlanta-East, Atlanta-West and Savannah Area OSHA offices and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation program' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Any signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 days' written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of all signatories.

Signed this 22 day of February 2023.